Polarization-dependent fluorescence from an anisotropic gold/polymer hybrid nano-emitter

Based on nanoscale photopolymerization triggered by the dipolar surface plasmon mode, we developed a light-emitting gold nanoparticle/Eosin Y-doped polymer hybrid nanostructure. Due to the anisotropic spatial distribution of the dipolar surface plasmon mode during photopolymerization, this nano-emitter is anisotropic in both geometry and emission. The trapped dye molecules in the hybrid nanostructure display fluorescence intensity that is dependent upon the polarization of the incident excitation light. This nano-emitter further allows the photo-selection of fluorescence configuration (i.e., molecule concentration and refractive index of active medium) by controlling the incident polarization. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC

Optimization of the cooling profile to improve the filterability of crystals isolated during an optical resolution by diastereomeric salt formation

International audienceThe crystallization of a diastereomeric salt during the optical resolution of a synthesized intermediate led to crystals showing poor filterability. With a view to decrease the duration of the filtration step, linear cooling profiles, including a preliminary stabilization step, and non-linear cooling profiles (quoted as controlled type) are tested. This latter type of profile enables a significant increase of mother liquors flowrate during filtration (from 50% to 300% according to crystallization duration). Scanning Electron Microscopy observations of crystals confirmed the trends deducted fromthe comparison of mean mother liquors flowrates: the promotion of crystal growth over nucleation leads to wider (and fewer small) crystals exhibiting an improved filterability

Control Performance Verification – The Hidden Opportunity of Ensuring High Performance of Building Control System

Advances in building control have shown significant potential for improving building energy performance and decarbonization. One of the challenges to realizing those savings is the correct implementation of such advanced control strategies and regularly verifying their actual operational performance. Currently, the verification is often manually conducted, which is time-consuming, adhoc, and error-prone. To address this challenge, we introduced an automated control verification framework, aiming to create automatic verification of control performance in buildings. This framework integrates interpretations of the control requirements from recent energy codes and knowledge of conducting control verification into a knowledge base. The verification is based on time series data and thus is applicable for both trended data from a building automation system and simulation results of building energy simulations. This paper discusses the new version of the control performance verification framework, the expansion of the verification library, and the newly developed key performance indicators (KPIs) for control verification. It also provides an evaluation of the tool using both simulation and real building operation data and also an end-to-end demonstration case from importing a data set equipped with a semantic model, automatically instantiating control verification cases, and then conducting the verification and reporting the result

Terutroban, a Thromboxane/Prostaglandin Endoperoxide receptor antagonist, increases survival in stroke-prone rats by preventing systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Comparison with aspirin and rosuvastatin

This study investigated the efficacy of terutroban, a specific thromboxane/prostaglandin endoperoxide receptor antagonist, on stroke incidence in spontaneously hypertensive strokeprone rats (SHRSP). The effects of terutroban were compared with those of aspirin, another antiplatelet agent, and rosuvastatin, known to exert end-organ protection in SHRSP. Saltloaded male SHRSP were treated orally once a day with vehicle, terutroban (30 mg/kg/day), aspirin (60 mg/kg/day), or rosuvastatin (10 mg/kg/day). Compared with vehicle, and regardless of any effect on blood pressure or serum thromboxane B2 levels, terutroban significantly increased survival (p 0.001) as a consequence of a delayed brain lesion occurrence monitored by magnetic resonance imaging (p 0.001), and a delayed increase of proteinuria (p 0.001). Terutroban decreased cerebral mRNA transcription of interleukin-1 , transforming growth factor- , and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 after 6 weeks of dietary treatment. Terutroban also prevented the accumulation of urinary acute-phase proteins at high molecular weight, identified as markers of systemic inflammation, and assessed longitudinally by one-dimensional electrophoresis. Terutroban also has protective effects on the vasculature as suggested by the preservation of endothelial function and endothelial nitric-oxide synthase expression in isolated carotid arteries. These effects are similar to those obtained with rosuvastatin, and superior to those of aspirin. Terutroban increases survival in SHRSP by reducing systemic inflammation as well as preserving endothelial function. These data support clinical development of terutroban in the prevention of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular complications of atherothrombosis

Terutroban, a TP receptor antagonist, increased survival il stroke-prone rats by preserving systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Comparison with aspirin and rosuvastatin

Conventional antiplatelet agents such as aspirin, ticlopidine, and clopidogrel are currently used in the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. However, side effects such as bleeding complications and gastrointestinal disorders and, in some patients, resistance have made the development of new agents desirable. Recently, thromboxane receptors (thromboxane and prostaglandin endoperoxide PGG2-PGH2 receptors) called TP receptors have received increasing attention. These receptors are membrane-bound G-coupled receptors found not only on platelets but also on macrophages, monocytes, vascular endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells. Antagonists of TP receptors have advantages over aspirin as they not only block the effect of thromboxane A2 on platelets, but also inhibit other ligands such as prostaglandin endoperoxides and isoprostanes. Given the distribution of TP receptors in platelets, in circulating inflammatory cells, in the vascular wall and in atherosclerotic plaques, they also inhibit the effects of thromboxane A2 over TP receptors on vascular cells or in the plaque. Terutroban (Triplion\uae or S18886), a new oral specific TP receptor antagonist, has, aside from being an antithrombotic agent, important vascular properties. It improves endothelial function and has an antiatherosclerotic effect. The potential therapeutic applications of terutroban in the prevention of atherothrombosis, particularly in the cerebrovascular and cardiovascular fields including stroke and coronary artery disease, are based on a number of convincing experimental animal and clinical studies. A large trial is currently comparing the efficacy and safety of terutroban versus aspirin in secondary prevention of cardiovascular events in patients who have suffered a stroke or transient ischemic attack (PERFORM Study)

Near-Field and Far-Field Sensitivities of LSPR Sensors

International audienceThe present study compares the near-field and far-field sensitivities of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensors. To put into evidence the difference between far-field and near-field sensors, optical extinction measurements have been performed on gold nanoparticle gratings coated with dielectric superstrates of varying thicknesses. The potential of LSPR sensors is usually considered to lie in the near-field regime. Therefore, a comparison of the near-field sensitivities for gold nanoparticle gratings and continuous gold films of 50 nm in thickness is provided. The difference in refractive index sensitivities of both sensors is discussed in relation with the decay length of the evanescent near-field. SPRs sensors are usually considered more sensitive than LSPRs in terms of the m factor, refractive index sensitivity. We argue that the m factor sensitivity can only be defined for thick (15--100 nm) superstrates; for thin superstrates (d < 15 nm), the decay length of the evanescent field must be taken into account to properly compare both sensors

Somatic <i>PIK3CA</i> Mutations in Sporadic Cerebral Cavernous Malformations.

BackgroundCerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are common sporadic and inherited vascular malformations of the central nervous system. Although familial CCMs are linked to loss-of-function mutations in KRIT1 (CCM1), CCM2, or PDCD10 (CCM3), the genetic cause of sporadic CCMs, representing 80% of cases, remains incompletely understood.MethodsWe developed two mouse models harboring mutations identified in human meningiomas with the use of the prostaglandin D2 synthase (PGDS) promoter. We performed targeted DNA sequencing of surgically resected CCMs from patients and confirmed our findings by droplet digital polymerase-chain-reaction analysis.ResultsWe found that in mice expressing one of two common genetic drivers of meningioma - Pik3ca H1047R or AKT1 E17K - in PGDS-positive cells, a spectrum of typical CCMs develops (in 22% and 11% of the mice, respectively) instead of meningiomas, which prompted us to analyze tissue samples from sporadic CCMs from 88 patients. We detected somatic activating PIK3CA and AKT1 mutations in 39% and 1%, respectively, of lesion tissue from the patients. Only 10% of lesions harbored mutations in the CCM genes. We analyzed lesions induced by the activating mutations Pik3ca H1074R and AKT1 E17K in mice and identified the PGDS-expressing pericyte as the probable cell of origin.ConclusionsIn tissue samples from sporadic CCMs, mutations in PIK3CA were represented to a greater extent than mutations in any other gene. The contribution of somatic mutations in the genes that cause familial CCMs was comparatively small. (Funded by the Fondation ARC pour la Recherche contre le Cancer and others.)